Falling Together
by usagi-kun1217
Summary: Fairy Tail has destroyed the Infinity Clock but Natsu is left racing to save Lucy from certain death. Can he? [Double shot of drabble. No changes to original story plotline, just an expansion on the characters' inner thoughts.]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N I enjoy taking moments in time and stretching them out, filling in the blanks that are inevitably there. So I did. This takes place at the end of the Key of the Starry Sky arc, when Natsu is racing to catch Lucy. Obviously, I don't own Fairy Tail, nor do I own the beginning dialogue. I took that from the subbed anime. The italics, Natsu's thoughts, are mine.**

 **Natsu's Song Inspiration: Failure by Breaking Benjamin**

"Lucy. Where's Lucy?" I scrambled to my feet, casting frantically around for my partner.

"Calm down, Natsu," Erza said flatly.

"Warren and the others are looking for her now," Gray added.

"How can I calm down!?" I retorted angrily. Suddenly, I realized I could smell vanilla. Sniffing, I scanned the area for Lucy. "Lucy's scent! I'm sure of it! Go over that way, octopus!"

We rocketed into the air and I forced my motion sickness to the back of my mind, intent on locating my friend, the most important member of my nakama. Leaping from the octopus, I took off running, my mind racing frantically as I sped toward my Lucy.

 _I can't fail this time._

 _I've failed her so many times already. Phantom Lord. The Tower of Heaven. Bixlow. Angel. Hughes. Kain Hikaru. Now this goddamn clock. I've let her be hurt. Let her be captured. I wasn't fast enough, wasn't smart enough, wasn't good enough. How can I be worthy of her if I can't protect her? How can I call her my mate, my nakama, if I can't even make sure she's safe? I have to be better. I have to be stronger. I have to be faster. I need to deserve her. I need to be there for her._

 _Every time she was in trouble it was because I wasn't there for her._

 _I have to catch her._

 _I have to save her._

 _I have to be there for her._

 _No! Falling! Get up! GET UP! Gotta reach her!_

 _Luce? Wake up! I'm gonna save you! I'm gonna reach you in time this time! Luce, I'm gonna be there for you this time!_

 _My light._

 _My life._

 _My meaning._

 _My heart._

 _My soul._

 _I can't lose you. I'll tear the whole world down if I lose you. No one will be safe. No one will survive. I'd be lost without you. I'd be empty without you. I'd be nothing without you._

 _They buried my sunlight in that clock, but I didn't let you vanish. I didn't let you go. I won't let you go this time either. Luce! Hang on! I'm close, so close. I can reach you. I know I can. I can save you. I promise. I will always save you. I will always be there for you. I will always love you._

I leapt for her, my legs propelling me up and out.

 _In my arms. Safe in my arms._

I didn't even notice plowing back into the ground, face planting in the dirt and rocks. I could feel Lucy's weight on my back.

 _Is she safe? Is she alive? Did she wake up?_

I look up at her, see her beautiful smile, the one she saves just for me. _Alive. My sunlight. My partner. My friend. My nakama. My mate. My Lucy. Safe._


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N I thought exploring both viewpoints in this scene would be the best way. I still don't own Fairy Tail or the cover art. But Lucy's thoughts are mine. Thoughts? Questions? Comments? Complaints? Please review!**

 **Lucy's Inspiration Song: Song of the Problematique by Muse**

"The parts will fly away somewhere!"

"No…"

"Ain't there any other way?" Natsu's voice makes my heart flutter.

"I'll try…" I need to reassure my nakama. They all try so hard to help me, I need to help them.

"That way," I continue, "a lot of people will be able to wake up from 100 year sleeps, right? I may fly off somewhere… That's the only risk?! I'm a Fairy Tail wizard. I'm the daughter of Jude and Layla! I'm Michelle's big sister! I'll do it!"

I force the power through my body, not even sure what the hell I'm doing, but I can feel something hot and bubbling in my stomach expanding, suffusing my entire body in warmth. _Like Natsu…_

Suddenly I felt a presence beside me. "Nee-san," it whispered.

"Michelle."

"It's okay. I'm with you," she seemed to murmur in my ear.

"Yeah!" I replied, and forced harder on the magic. Light. And then.

 _Nothing._

 _Where am I? WHAT am I?_

 _Who am I?_

 _Am I, I?_

 _I must be I. I am a being. I am alive._

 _Alive._ I draw a shuddering breath _. Breathing. I am breathing because I am alive._

 _Is this life? There's nothing but light. No motion, no feeling, no heaviness. I am light. I am freedom._

 _But this cannot be all I am. I am alive. That word. It means more than this existence. It means something else, some deeper feeling. Feelings… emotions. Love. Hate. Anger. Fear. Longing. Dread. Love. That word again. Love. Warmth. Love means warmth means joy means fear means longing means passion means LIFE._

 _I…what is this new feeling? Movement. Rushing air. Weight returning. I feel something tight squeezing my essence….skin. That's the word for this tightness, this heaviness. Skin. I feel it confining me, holding me in. But also protecting me. I am falling. That is the air feel. I am falling through the night sky. I can feel the earth approaching. My skin will not protect me forever._

"Lucy. Where's Lucy?"

 _A voice in the light. Who is that voice? Who is Lucy?_

Another shuddering breath, a flutter to my heartbeat. _That voice. It makes me feel… Am I Lucy?_

The thought settles itself, thrumming through my veins. _Lucy_. _Lucy. Lucy. Lucy._ The name beats in time with my heart.

 _Yes. I am Lucy. Someone is looking for me._

"Lucy's scent! I'm sure of it."

 _That voice again. It shivers over my skin. It sounds like cinnamon. I know that voice. I know these feelings the voice creates. Natsu. Yes. That's the name of the voice owner. Natsu. My pink-haired dragon slayer. My friend. My partner. My nakama._

 _I love him._

 _How had I forgotten that? How could I forget my dragon-prince, the one who always saves me? Saves me…rescuing people, other nakama…Fairy Tail. I must save Fairy Tail! I must save my nakama! No…that does not feel right within my skin. No I SAVED my nakama already. A clock. There was a clock and my nakama and my dragon-prince. I had to save him. To save them. For all the times they have saved me, I needed to save them, too. But where are they? Why can't I see them?_

 _See…eyes. I can open my eyes. I can view the world around me through them, experience love with them. Eyes…_

I open my eyes. Below I see a figure running frantically, chasing me as I fall. _Pink-hair. Natsu? Yes. Natsu. My dragon-prince. Always to my rescue._ Water fills my eyes. _Tears? Yes. That is what this water is called. I am crying. Why?_

I watch him stumble, fall, get back up. I know he will catch me. He always does. _Always. Why am I crying? Because just this once I was able to catch him when he fell. Just this once I was able to save him. I was able to take what small powers I have and use them and save him. Save them all. But save him._

The ground is closer now. I can feel its weight pulling on my skin, tugging me down toward it. _I'm close, so close. But I know he is there. I know he will catch me. I can feel the earth pulling on my skin, pulling me down; I can feel him pulling on my skin, pulling me close._

 _Earth's gravity may weight me down, but love's gravity makes me fly._

 _Arms around me. I'm in his arms. Safe in his arms._

We tumble to the ground. I am pillowed on his back.

 _He is safe. He is alive. I am with him._

I smile down at him, my heart transparent on my face, my love a signal fire for all to see. _Safe. My dragon-prince. My partner. My friend. My nakama. My love. My Natsu. Safe._


End file.
